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EDC Minutes November 18, 2016 Page 5 of 8 Business Retention & Expansion Visit (BR&E) Updates Next Beeman updated the Commission on the business retention and expansion efforts. Beeman informed the Commission that most of the near 150 businesses have been visited. The most recent visit was with Western Bank. Commissioner Stevenson and Beeman conducted that visit and the person interviewed had several good suggestions that Beeman passed along to the appropriate people. Western Bank seems like they are doing a stable business. They were bought out by a bank in Omaha about four years ago and have six employees. Beeman provided an update on Snap Market stating that the person who was looking at the building for an off-sale liquor use had conducted a market study and found that the location was not a good site for his type of business. As a result, he backed out of the deal and the space is available. Bioclean is still looking for a site, Mounds View Square has 7 vacancies with El Loro closing its business. El Loro is consolidating and spreading their employees to their existing businesses. Helgomoe asked about the many vacancies. How are they going to address those vacancies? Beeman said a Tap Room Ordinance was passed by the City and he had contacted Pastor Enterprise and informed them about the new Ordinance. At one time they had a tap room prospect looking for space but have since moved on. The main issue is that Pastor doesn’t negotiate its leases. Many businesses have contacted Beeman and said that is the reason they have left and that the lease rates for Mounds View Square are too high. Helgemoe said the strip mall across the street seems to be full. Commissioner Freichels stated that is because the school district moved into nearly half of those spaces and but for their occupancy, the building would still be nearly vacant. Beeman said the coin laundry business recently changed ownership however it will remain and now there is only one vacancy in that building. Beeman talked to an owner at the Minnesota Muscle Gym and they said they were doing fine and will remain in their space for a while. Helgemoe stated that the point is that Silver View Plaza is full and Mounds View Square isn’t. Freichels said they have the right tenant. Beeman said that Mounds View Square has a lot of potential but they don’t seem willing to negotiate their leases. Beeman said he has received two inquiries on the El Loro site but nothing serious at this time. Beeman continued, stating Tom’s Collectibles has closed and the owner has already leased a new space in Roseville as a Business Consultant. The hobby industry is stalling and moving to more digital and video games. Empire House is still looking for a new site. The Mermaid is looking to construct a gas station or coffee shop. Beeman said this is on the right side of the road so this could be a good concept for the area. Rice Creek Commons Development Update Beeman informed the Commission that the County has communicated that the County Road H intersection and bridge project is on schedule and should be substantially completed by the end of December.